Rita Rose Hovorka (Pischke)

Rita Rose Hovorka, 91, of Golden Valley, MN, passed away in Elk River at Guardian Angels by the Lake on November 5th, 2023.

Rita was preceded in death by husband Francis (Nick), parents Joseph and Ida, brother Paul Pischke, sisters Gloria Pischke (Harvey) and Mary Jane (Jane) Pischke (Reichle) and brothers-in-law John Reichle and Terry Harvey and sister-in-law Lois Pischke. Survived by sons Mark (Charlene) Hovorka of Bloomer, Wisconsin, and Michael (Dawnette) Hovorka of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, grandchildren Jeremy (Stephanie) Miller, Alysha Hovorka and Makalah Hovorka and great grandchildren Kaylee and Ezekiel.

Funeral Mass Tuesday, November 14th, 10 AM with visitation starting at 9 AM at St. Margaret Mary Church, 2323 Zenith Ave. N., Golden Valley, Minnesota.  Luncheon to follow the Mass with interment at Ft. Snelling afterwards. All are welcome.

Rita Rose Pischke was born May 17th, 1932, in West Union Township, Todd County, Minnesota, the last and favorite of four children born to Joe and Ida Pischke. Rita married Francis (Nick) Hovorka September 22nd, 1956, at St. Stephens Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over the years, Rita worked at a variety of jobs including American Hardware Mutual, 5th Northwestern Bank, Area 51, Sears, Grain Belt Brewery (which included beer breaks), and finished her working career with Host/Marriott in food service.  Rita was very musical, she learnt to play the organ at a young age and had a gifted voice, both that would carry her on for years. She sang and played at a very young age, taught piano lessons and in later years, sang with the church choir, and eventually took over as director of the choir at St. Philips Catholic Church.

While a stroke in 2012 dramatically changed her life, her life, humor, and fun were long from gone.  While memory might have escaped her, fame and fortune didn’t. On one occasion her picture was shared on WCCO for a news story regarding a care facility’s sale and a quick need to move. After the spotlight, Rita continued to go to dance recitals for her grandchildren, out to Denny’s whenever someone was offering, signing autographs, and on her 91st birthday a special trip long over due to the casino, something she hadn’t done in 11 years and a memory that lasted for weeks…….

Rita played piano up until the end, entertaining others in the facility she called home. She kept a sharp wit and even sharper sense of humor along the way, reminding us all each time we visited when we would say ‘see you later’, her response was always, “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise”.  This time around, the creek didn’t rise, but the Lord was ready. Eleven years of short-term memory challenges, Rita knew all things she had learnt, she just needed reminders. She thanks the support of her sons Mark and Michael and their families for all the time invested to keep her going and living life the best she could.

She will be missed.